A Língua Inglesa como requisito para a internacionalização dos dois Programas De Pós-Graduação instalados no IEAA/UFAM

Abstract

Internationalization is one of the criteria adopted by (CAPES) in the evaluation of Postgraduate Programs (PPGs). Investments have been made by (MEC/INEP) to promote the internationalization of Brazilian higher education with the intention of increasing the engagement of (HEIs) and their Postgraduate Programs (PPGs) in the global context of the international scientific community. In this context, the English language emerges as a tool that enhances scientific communication and international relations, also recognized as a 21st century linguistic skill necessary for global participation. This research aimed to understand the English language as a requirement for the internationalization of the two postgraduate programs installed at IEAA/UFAM. To this end, research was carried out with a qualitative approach and descriptive characteristics. The following data collection techniques were used: bibliographic research and documentary research. Regarding the data analysis procedure, content analysis served to define the analytical categories of scientific production in research produced in Brazil between 2019 and 2024. For the documentary part, the checklist with verification questions was used to analyze the PDI and the Strategic Planning of the PPGs. The results of the bibliographical research highlighted two theoretical models that some Brazilian HEIs of international academic excellence have been using, in addition to academic mobility strategies, in order to advance their internationalization policy, such as the Comprehensive Internationalization model and the Internationalization at Home model. The Internationalization at Home (IaH) model has been indicated as a current trend to enhance the internationalization of HEIs and highlights the use of English as a Medium of Instruction – EMI. The authors recognize English as a lingua franca and a linguistic tool for internationalization. The results of the documentary research demonstrated that the strategies foreseen in the PDI and in the Strategic Planning follow the trend of comprehensive internationalization partially in some target areas and need to advance in the areas where gaps were found so that alignment can occur with the CAPES evaluation indicators that are based on this model. It was also found that the strategies adopted by the Programs follow the same line as the PDI with a focus on academic mobility, cooperation agreements, partnerships and publications of scientific works in international journals. On the other hand, there is little investment in training teachers and offering courses/subjects in foreign languages, especially English, a limiting situation for progress in the process of comprehensive internationalization and internationalization at home. Finally, considering that the university investigated has only one stricto sensu postgraduate course with a grade of 6 and the Programs researched presented grades 3 and 4 respectively in the last CAPES quadrennial 2021 evaluation, seeking to implement other strategies based on the internationalization model at home can contribute to raising grades and the international quality of PPGs.